Railroad flat car

ABSTRACT

In a cushioned underframe railroad flat deck car, a bolster and crossbearer construction of cross elements extending between each side sill and the fixed center sill and having vertical truss means on the sides of the fixed sill tying the cross elements to the fixed sill, a center plate under the fixed sill tying the bolster cross elements together and a transverse transfer channel member forming a shear box with the deck and tying the bolster cross elements together, sub-cross means under the fixed sill tying the outboard bolster cross elements together, reinforcement about the fixed sill at the fish belly transition section of the fixed sill, and fixed longitudinally vertical cushion key stops on the top and bottom inside portions of the fixed sill and sliding key stop means in the form of horizontal crosshead means on the sliding insert sill acting as cushion stop means at the cushion pocket.

United States Patent [1 1 1111 3,777,671

Miller et al. Dec. 11, 1973 1 RAILROAD FLAT CAR 2,973,102 2/1961 Nystrom105/420 3,631,811 1/1972 Christian 105/420 [75] Inventors: Roy M.Miller, Highland; Marvin Stark, Michigan City; William R. Shaver,Munster, all of Ind.

[73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill.

Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Att0rney-Hilmond O. Vogel et a1.

[22] Filed: July 22, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 165,298 In acushioned underframe railroad flat deck car, a Related U S ApplicationData bolster and crossbearer construction of cross elements I extendingbetween each side sill and the fixed center [62] of 391683 May 201 1970sill and having vertical truss means on the sides of the fixed silltying the cross elements to the fixed sill, a center plate under thefixed sill tying the bolster cross [52] 105/420 105/368 105/414 elementstogether and a transverse transfer channel Int Cl member forming a shearbox with the deck and tying the bo cros me oge sub ss means [58] Fieldof Search 105/368 B, 414, 416, under the fixed Sin tying the outboardbolster cross 105/4119 422 ements together, reinforcement about thefixed sill at the fish belly transition section of the fixed sill, and

[56] References Cited fixed longitudinally vertical cushion key stops onthe UNITED STATES PATENTS top and bottom inside portions of the fixedsill and 2,764,299 9/1956 Meyer 105/416 sliding key stop means in theform of horizontal crossl05/4 head means on the sliding insert sillacting as cushion 105/419 stop means at the cushion pocket. 105/4162,864,321) 12/1958 Peterson 2,870,724 l/l959 Gutridge 3,238,899 3/1966Gutridge et al.....

2,783,718 3/1957 Cheshire 105/419 1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUDEC11 1915 3.7773571 sum 1 n? 4 kg m i m w N MIE RAILROAD FLAT CAR This isa division of co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 39,683 filed May20, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,724, of Roy W. Miller, Marvin Stark,and William R. Shaver.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements inrailroad flat deck cars of the cushioned underframe type and inparticular relates to a novel car construction of improvedstrengthenedstructural design to accommodate a sliding center sill.

A general object of this invention, therefore, is to provide for acushioned underframe railroad flat deck car having a bolster andcrossbearer construction of cross elements on each side of the fixedcenter sill and extendable between each respective side sill and thefixed center sill wherein there is provided vertical truss means on thesides of the fixed sill tying the cross elements to the fixed sill and acenter plate under the fixed sill tying the bolster cross elementstogether and a transverse channel member forming a shear box with thedeck and tying the bolster cross elements together.

Another object of this invention is to provide for subcross means underthe fixed sill tying the outboard bolster cross elements together.

Still another object of this invention is to provide for a reinforcementabout the fixed sill at the fish belly transition section of the fixedsill.

Still another object is to provide for fixed longitudinally verticallyextending cushion key stop means on the top and bottom inside portionsof the fixed sill and sliding keyv stop means in the form of horizontalcrosshead means on the sliding sill insert acting as cushion stop meansat the cushion pocket, the key stop means being in lateral alignmentwith reinforcing crossbearers.

These and other objects will become more apparent from reference to thefollowing description, appended claims and attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan sectional view ofthe novel flat deck railroad car;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along line 2 2 of FIG. 1; I

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the flat deck car taken generally at thebolster and fish belly transition section and the crossbearer section;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an end top plan sectional view of the flat deck car;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational sectional view at the end of the flat deckcar;-and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the key stops of the fixed and slidingsills at the cushion pocket area.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is showna flat deck railroad car 2 having a flat deck structure 3 including adeck plate 4 and underdeck-plate stringers or longitudinal deckstringers 5 of U-shaped or channel type. Over the area of the railroadtrucks is located the underframe bolsters 6 which run transversely ofthe car. Outwardly of the bolster 6 is found the out board of bolstercrossbearer 8 and outwardly of that, at

each end of the car, is the end frame crossbearer 9. The cross structurelocated at each end of the car is the end sill structure 10. Withreference to FIG. 3, the fish belly transition crossbearers 11 may beseen. The bolsters 6, the intermediate or between-the-bolstercrossbearers 7, the outboard bolster crossbearers 8, the end framecrossbearers 9, and the fish belly transition crossbearers 11 are allattached to the fixed sill structure 14 which may be best seen in FIGS.2 5. Reciprocally extendable through the fixed sill structure 14 is thesliding or insert sill structure 13 which, at each of its outer ends,has a widened end portion or bell-shaped portion 15 with striker 15athat is accommodated by the flaredout end portion 14a of the fixed sillstructure 14 at each end of the car.

On top of the deck plate 4 is provided a pair of longitudinallyextending deck rub rails for guiding the tires of a trailer vehiclealong the deck. Each rub rail 16 includes a tire curbing angular platestructure 17 that is supported by a gusset 18. The longitudinal ends ofthe rub rail 16 are turned or sloped toward one another to provide forinitial leading in or guiding portions for the trailer or vehicle. Eachtire curbing angular plate structure 17 comprises an outer lowercurved-in end flange portion 17a connecting with an upwardly extendingvertical or side flange portion 17b which in turn connects with thehorizontal portion 170 that connects with an inwardly downwardlydirected portion 17a. The gusset structure 18 includes the vertical web18a and the horizontal flange portion 18b. The ends 19 of the rub rails16 are tapered inward to accommodate entrance of the vehicle wheels ontothe deck. With reference to FIG. 3, it is seen that-each intermediatecrossbearer 7 that is located between the bolsters 6 includes a crosschannel-shaped element 7a on each side of the fixed sill and connectingwith a respective side sill 35 and with a truss plate or member 7d whichis attached to the side wall of the fixed sill. The cross elementincludes upper and lower flanges 7b and a vertical web 70 which isattached as by welding to the flat transverse vertical plate portion 7eof the truss member 7d. The truss member 7d is also provided with anupwardly extending, outwardly diverging, longitudinally extending endflange 7f. The crossbearer 7 is also provided with a transversediagonally upwardly outwardly extending angular plate 7h connecting withthe outer end of the channel member and the side sill and with the lowerend of the truss member 7d. The corresponding crossbearer member 7a onthe other side with its respective truss element and diagonal elementform the completed crossbearer 7. Each of the crossbearers 7 includes atransverse diaphragm plate 7i between and connecting with insides of thefixed sill 14 for transference of loads through the lengths of thecrossbearers and into the fixed sill. These diaphragm plates are belowthe sliding insert sill as, for instance, will be seen in FIG. 4.

The construction of the outboard bolster crossbearer 8 is best seen inFIG. 2 and includes a crossbearer channel member 8a on each side of thefixed sill that is attached to a respective truss member 8d attached toa respective side or upright longitudinally extending vertical fixedsill side plate 27. The outer end of each crossbearer channel member 8ais attached to respective side sill structure 35. Crossbearer channelmember 8a includes flanges 8b and web 8c and the truss 8d includes theplate 8e and flanges 8f to which is attached the reduced end portion 8gof the crossbearer member 8a. As also seen in FIG. 2, the end framecrossbearer 9 is similarly constructed to the outboard bolstercrossbearer 8 and includes complementary parts 9 in the form of part ofchannel member 9a having flanges 9b and web 9c and is provided with atruss structure 9d and having flanges 9f and the crossbearer reduced endportion 9g. The crossbearer 8 and the crossbearer 9 each are comprisedof their respective channel member and truss member structures on eachside of the fixed sill and are attached thereto in a manner similar tothe attachment of the crossbearer 7 as explained above. Similarly, FIG.3 discloses the fish belly transition crossbearer which is similar inconstruction to the crossbearer members 8 or 9 and, therefore, isprovided with tapered channel sections 11a which, similar to members 8aand 9a, taper inwardly toward the fixed sill and the transitioncrossbearer 11 has its channel member lla composed of flanges 11b andweb 11c and is attached to the respective side sill 35 and to the trusselement 11d which is composed of plate lle and flanges 11f. The trusselement is attached to the reduced inner end 11g of the channel member11a as is the case with channel members 9a and 8a of the othercrossbearers 9 and 8. The end sill structure 10, as best seen in FIGS.and 6, includes a vertical or upright plate portion 100 on each side ofthe car and a horizontal lower flange portion b attached thereto on eachside of the car and on opposite sides of the sliding sill bell housing15 (see FIG. 5).

The flat deck car is provided with a cushion unit 43 for permittingcushioned movement of the fixed sill structure 14 with respect to thesliding sill structure 13. The cushion unit is best shown andillustrated in US. Pat. Nos. 3,035,714 and 3,035,827, both issued toWilliam H. Peterson on May 22, 1962, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference. This cushion unit is located in a cushion unitpocket 21 in the sliding sill as, for instance, shown generally inFIG. 1. The cushion pocket 21 is covered by the cushion access platestructure at which are located a pair of top keys or stops 22 attachedto the fixed sill. The fixed stops are provided with fixed stopreinforcement parts 23, 24 and 25, namely, transverse reinforcement bar23, flat horizontal plate structure 24 and transverse bar structure 25from which depends the upper fixed stop or key 26 of the fixed sill. Thefixed sill, in addition to having the side plates 27, is provided with afixed sill bottom cover plate 28 as seen in FIG. 3, and includes abottom cover plate portion 28a adjacent the bolster 6, a downwardlysloping cover plate portion 28b in the transitional or fish bellysection and a lower or horizontal cover plate portion 286 in theintermediate crossbearer section of the car. With reference now to FIG.2, it is seen that the sliding sill 13 is spaced inwardly from the fixedsill which has provided thereon sliding sill guides 29 which consist ofa longitudinally extending member mounted on the inner vertical surfaceof each vertical wall 27 of the fixed sill 14.

FIG. 2 is further directed to the crossbearer bottom support I-beamstructure or shear connector 30 which ties the sections of the outboardbolster crossbearer together. The l-beam structure 30 is provided with avertical end cap 30a, upper and lower flanges 30b, vertical transverselyextending web 300 and a reinforcing plate or gusset 30d. Also shown onthe right hand portion of FIG. 2 is the draft sill 31 ofthe sliding silland includes the bottom support plate 31a, the draft sill top coverplate 31b and the draft stop assembly 31c. The sliding sill assembly 13comprises the opposed pair of sliding sill side channels 32 havingflanges 32a, web 32b and extension plate 32c to which is attached thedraft stop assembly 310. The channels 32 are connected by the slidingsill web 33. The laterally spaced sections of the end crossbearer 9 aretied to one another by the end crossbearer bottom support l-beamstructure 34 as seen in the right hand half of FIG. 2, the l-beamstructure 34 comprising a web 340, flanges 34b, end caps 34c, gussets34d, and end crossbearer wear plate 34e.

With reference now to FIG. 3, there is shown in the foreground of theview the bolster arrangement and rearwardly of the bolster andunderneath the fixed sill is provided the transition reinforcementstructure 36 for reinforcing and strengthening the fish belly transitionareaJThe bottom cover plate 28a at the transition section is connectedwith the deck plate and the outside of the fixed sill by the verticalgusset 36a. Underneath the bolster structure 6 is the center platestructure 37 which is of the construction as shown in US. Pat. No.3,422,772 to Marvin Stark, which patent is hereby incorporated herein byreference. The center plate structure 37 is attached to the underside ofthe upright vertical web portions or sides 27 of the fixed sill andoutboard of each of said side walls 27 of the fixed sill is the L-shapedguide and center plate reinforcement structure 38 which forms part ofthe center plate structure 37. It is noted that the bolster structure 6is comprised of bolster external gussets 6a located vertically above andattached to the ends of the center plate structure and also attached tothe bolster bottom plate 6c in the upwardly, outwardly diverging,sloping plate portion of each of the bolster bottom plates 6c. Thebolster structure 6 is further provided with bolster web plates 6b whichare rectangular and are located laterally outwardly and divergedownwardly toward the sides of the fixed sill to provide a deep websection at the fixed sill. There are two such longitudinally spaced webplates 6b spaced apart from one another by internal gusset plates 6d fortransferring vertical forces from side bearing to top beam and L-shapedreinforcement means 42 on each side of the fixed sill. At the outer endsof each of the webs and attached to the respective side sill structureis the jack pad reinforcement 40 for the jack pad 41 for lifting of theflat deck off of the trucks for servicing. Each side sill structure 35includes a top horizontal flange 35a, a downwardly extending verticalportion 35b, an inwardly downwardly diagonal plate portion 350 and alower inwardly directed horizontal flanged portion 350' to which isattached the respective jack pad horizontal plate 41. The transfermember or shear box section 39 on top of the bolster 6 comprises fourvertical walls 39a and a top wall 39b, the walls 39a forming with thedeck plate 4 the shear box section which acts as the bolster topreinforcement structure and cooperates with the center plate structurefor transferring loads around the sill structure from each of thebolster sections.

With reference now to FIGS. 4 and 7, the construction of the cushionpocket with respect to the sliding sill, the fixed sill and the cushionunit shows fixed wear plates 44 on the fixed sill fixedly engaging thesliding sill wear plates 45 on the bottom of the sliding sill. Inaddition to the top stop or keys of the cushion pocket 21 which retainthe cushion unit there is provided the bottom key or fixed block on thefixed sill, the left end as viewed in FIG. 4 of the bottom key 47 beingprovided with a beveled portion 47a. The top cushion cover plate 48,provided with a slot 49 for movement of the top key 26 therein and theslidingsill in the area of the cushion pocket is provided with a bottomcushion cover plate 480 provided with a slot 49a for movement of thesliding sill with respect to the fixed stop 47. The cushion end plates50 engage these fixed stops 26 and 47 on the fixed sill. The fixed stopis attached to the side walls 27 of the fixed sill by bottom key channelmembers 46 which include an upper horizontal web portion 46b anddownwardly depending transversely spaced end flange portions 460. Thechannel members 46 transfer the shock loads of the cushion unit on thelower fixed stops into the side walls of the fixed sill.

Thus, what is provided by this invention is a novel reinforced bolsterand crossbearer structure which is split by the fixed sill foraccommodating movement ofa sliding sill within the fixed sill whereinthe reinforcement provides for tying means over and/or under the fixedsill for providing a transversely continuous bolster or crossbearerstructure. Similar reinforcement is found around the box portion of thefixed sill in the fish belly transitional area of the car. The fixedkeys or stops for retaining the cushion unit consist of thelongitudinally extending vertically depending members which arereinforced by the fixed sill attaching means such as the channel membersfor the lower stops and the reinforcement structure for the top stops.The insert sill crossweb 33 of the sliding sill defines an open portionwhich presents a pair of stops or enlarged crossheads 3311 at the endsof the open portion for engaging the cushion unit in the case of thesliding sill, as best seen in FIG. 7. Thus, in buff or draft, the fixedstops on the fixed sill and the end stops 33a of the open portion in thecrossweb 33 of the sliding sill engage the cushion unit for permittingcushioned sliding movement of the sliding sill with respect to the fixedsill. The crossheads 33a are located vertically midway between the upperand lower portions of the sliding sill and the depending stops of thefixed sill are spaced vertically from one another to permit movement ofthe crossheads in between the fixed stops or keys. It is to be noted, asbest seen in FIG. 7, that thereis provided a pair of intermediatecrossbearers 7 spaced longitudinally of one another and in lateralalignment with the respective reinforcing structures or means 23 and 25and in alignment with the vertical webs 46a of the bottom reinforcementmembers or key channels 46 for transferring loads imposed on the upperand lower fixed keys or stops into the crossbearers and into the sidesills of the car. The structure for the transfer of loads between thebolster sections and opposite sides of the fixed sill include thetransverse transfer channel member on top of the deck and the centerplate structure underneath the fixed sill.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate theinvention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar asthe appended claims are so limited. as those skilled in the art who havethe disclosure before them will be able to make modifications andvariations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A cushion underframe railroad flat deck car,

a longitudinally extending through car fixed center sill,

a sliding sill reciprocally disposed within said fixed center sill,

said fixed sill having an upright side plate on each side of saidsliding sill,

a center plate structure underneath said sliding sill and said fixedsill and connecting with the undersides of said upright center sillplates,

a top cover plate extending over said fixed sill and said sliding sillin the form ofa deck plate beingattached to the top portions of saidcenter sill side plates,

a bolster including a pair of bolster sections, one on each side of saidfixed sill and having an inner end portion connecting with a respectiveupright center sill side plateand with a respective outer portion of thecenter plate structure,

each bolster section inner portion including an upward outwardly slopingbolster bottom plate portion and an upright gusset plate spacedoutwardly ofa respective center sill side plate and extending betweenthe sloped bolster bottom plate portion to the deck plate, and

a transfer shear box section mounted on top of said deck plate abovesaid fixed sill and said sliding sill and having fore-and-aft transversegenerally vertical sections and laterally spaced upright longitudinalsections and a generally horizontal top plate forming with the deck ashear and bending absorbing box unit, the upright lateral sections eachbeing in generally vertical alignment with a respective sloping bolsterbottom plate portion for transferring loads therefrom into the shear boxsection.

1. A cushion underframe railroad flat deck car, a longitudinally extending through car fixed center sill, a sliding sill reciprocally disposed within said fixed center sill, said fixed sill having an upright side plate on each side of said sliding sill, a center plate structure underneath said sliding sill and said fixed sill and connecting with the undersides of said upright center sill plates, A top cover plate extending over said fixed sill and said sliding sill in the form of a deck plate being attached to the top portions of said center sill side plates, a bolster including a pair of bolster sections, one on each side of said fixed sill and having an inner end portion connecting with a respective upright center sill side plate and with a respective outer portion of the center plate structure, each bolster section inner portion including an upward outwardly sloping bolster bottom plate portion and an upright gusset plate spaced outwardly of a respective center sill side plate and extending between the sloped bolster bottom plate portion to the deck plate, and a transfer shear box section mounted on top of said deck plate above said fixed sill and said sliding sill and having foreand-aft transverse generally vertical sections and laterally spaced upright longitudinal sections and a generally horizontal top plate forming with the deck a shear and bending absorbing box unit, the upright lateral sections each being in generally vertical alignment with a respective sloping bolster bottom plate portion for transferring loads therefrom into the shear box section. 